Cartridge holders for dispensing parenteral pharmaceuticals by injection are not new per se. For example, the patents listed below show various forms of cartridge holders which are typical of prior art assemblies.
______________________________________ Inventor U.S. Pat. No. Issue Date ______________________________________ Kasmauskas 1,546,491 July 21, 1925 Cook Re. 16,836 Dec. 27, 1927 Brown 1,704,678 March 5, 1929 Smith 1,770,633 July 15, 1930 Nevin 1,819,258 Aug. 18, 1931 Debaz 2,829,643 April 8, 1958 Stroop 2,859,750 Nov. 11, 1958 Stroop 2,859,751 Nov. 11, 1958 Sarnoff 2,956,563 Oct. 18, 1960 Sarnoff 3,115,135 Dec. 24, 1963 Knight 3,556,099 Jan. 19, 1971 Baldwin 3,848,593 Nov. 19, 1974 ______________________________________
Considering in some detail several of the above, Cook U.S. Pat. No. Re. 16,836 discloses a hypodermic syringe which locks a container or ampule 25 in barrel 10 by means of locking slots 19 in cap 17 engaging pins 18. This locking action is said to be the means by which the inner end of the needle punctures closure 26. (Page 1, lines 94 to 101)
Kasmauskas U.S. Pat. No. 1,546,491 shows a hypodermic syringe wherein a capsule 29 is locked between two shells 10 and 14. The relative movement of the shells to each other is both transverse and axial. Axial movement results by means of pin 17 cooperating with cam slot 18. The outer shell 14 is securely attached to the needle 28 while inner shell 10 is securely attached to head 13. Thus, as one shell is rotated with respect to the other, stopper 30 is punctured by the needle. (Page 1, lines 100 to 105)
Brown U.S. Pat. No. 1,704,678 discloses a hypodermic syringe wherein a glass cartridge tube 1 is locked in a tubular-like instrument body 7 by a screw cap 11. The finger supports appear to form a part of screw cap 11. Stopper 3 is pierced by pushing the cartridge onto the needle. The cartridge is pushed by an inwardly protruding portion bearing on the rear of the cartridge, which protruding portion is attached or a part of the screw cap 11 (Page 1, lines 91 to 104).
Debaz U.S. Pat. No. 2,829,643 is of interest in that the finger supports 11 are used as a clamping lever. Pivoting of the finger supports moves tensioning members 6 in an axial direction.
Knight U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,099, discloses a hypodermic syringe assembly wherein a cartridge is locked between two guide members 31 by plug 13. Plug 13 includes ridge portions 36. The plug is axially inserted in the syringe by passing ridges 36 in slots 29 until ridges 36 reach circumferential recesses 37, whereupon plug 13 is turned, moving ridges 36 into recesses 37. This axial movement of plug 13 acts to press on the cartridge, such that diaphragm 17 is pierced by needle 12. (Col. 4, lines 29-33) Alignment of finger grips 39 with grips 39' ensures that plug 13 is locked in place.
The various designs discussed above are of rather complicated construction and have certain functional disadvantages and drawbacks.
None of the patents disclose or suggest a holder providing ease of movement of the parts during assembly and disassembly of a spent cartridge and one providing excellent retaining forces when an axial load is present without the need for separate or retaining clamping members or the like.